8 Replies Latest reply: Jul 28, 2009 8:29 AM by Andrey V RSS

    multiple assets import into motion menus.

    Andrey V Community Member
      It would be nice to have menu that supports multilanguage text and would not give an internal error. also it would be nice to be able to import more then one asset w/alpha channel into motion menus.
        • 1. Re: multiple assets import into motion menus.
          John T Smith CommunityMVP
          Do you know if what you want is actually part of the official DVD specification, and just not supported by Encore?
          • 2. Re: multiple assets import into motion menus.
            Joe Bowden Adobe Employee
            Motion menus can only have a single video clip, so I would assume the request is for the ability to have Encore accept multiple clips and output a single one for use in the motion menu.

            Having this feature would likely open up other feature requests, such as the ability to re-order the clips, or trim them, apply masks or effects, etc.

            If you think about it, these are really tasks better suited for a non-linear editing application (i.e., Premiere). Export a single clip, and then use that as your motion menu background in Encore.
            • 3. Re: multiple assets import into motion menus.
              Neil Wilkes CommunityMVP
              I'm with Joe here.
              What you are talking about is a multi-celled menu, and these are not well supported by a lot of players as so much of this comes under the heading of "optionally supported" in the specs (read "Left out on most players").
              Finally, Alpha channels are not supported in the specs AFAIK.
              • 4. Re: multiple assets import into motion menus.
                Andrey V Community Member

                It has been a wile since I looked into this post. But in CS4 it can be done with dynamic link with premiere. But in any case I was referring not to any kind of specs but actually building a motion menu in Ancore. Ulead DVD Worshop supports avi files with alpha channel and you can drag multiple clips, or elements into menu and at the end it will be compiled to one file as a background. Also Ulead newer version has a dissolve option between menus. That is why I was thinking to add this feature will be nice to have. Here are the specs. http://www.ulead.com/dws/compare.htm in their terms this feature is called an Animated  object library that contains .avi files with alpha channel

                • 5. Re: multiple assets import into motion menus.
                  Neil Wilkes CommunityMVP

                  big user wrote:

                   

                  It has been a wile since I looked into this post. But in CS4 it can be done with dynamic link with premiere. But in any case I was referring not to any kind of specs but actually building a motion menu in Ancore. Ulead DVD Worshop supports avi files with alpha channel and you can drag multiple clips, or elements into menu and at the end it will be compiled to one file as a background. Also Ulead newer version has a dissolve option between menus. That is why I was thinking to add this feature will be nice to have. Here are the specs. http://www.ulead.com/dws/compare.htm in their terms this feature is called an Animated  object library that contains .avi files with alpha channel

                  Seems to me that you can do all this & much more besides in Premiere.

                  Encore should be left as an Authoring tool, not an NLE.

                  • 6. Re: multiple assets import into motion menus.
                    Andrey V Community Member

                    Yes I agree with you if CS4 is used. That was not available in CS2 or CS3 when I was writing about it. But still few little things could be learned from others and added to Encore. Good thing to have in Encore is a disolve transition between menus. I know that similar trick can be done using a looppoints when menu created in AE

                    • 7. Re: multiple assets import into motion menus.
                      Neil Wilkes CommunityMVP

                      big user wrote:

                       

                      Yes I agree with you if CS4 is used. That was not available in CS2 or CS3 when I was writing about it. But still few little things could be learned from others and added to Encore. Good thing to have in Encore is a disolve transition between menus. I know that similar trick can be done using a looppoints when menu created in AE

                      Hi there.

                       

                      This shouldn't matter at all as to version of Premiere used.

                      All you really need to do is set up the sequence in premiere, edit it as required & export as an AVI file, import that to Encore for the menu background & author as normal. "Edit Original" is not needed, and probably undesirable too.

                       

                      As far as menu transitions go, we always create these in After Effects.

                      Set it up like this:

                      1 - Create your transition in AE. Try to be sure that the length of the transition is divisible by the GOP value. For NTSC this would usually be 15 frames.

                           (This part is possibly not mandatory, but is a good idea anyway)

                      2 - Save the first frame of the AE sequence as a TIFF file or a PSD file

                      3 - save the final frame of the AE sequence as a TIFF file or a PSD file

                      4 - Launch Encore. Create a static menu from the first frame TIFF or PSD, add buttons as necessary.

                           Create a second static menu from the final frame image.

                           Create a motion menu with your AVI file from AE, and set the end action of the first menu to the motion menu, and the end action of the motion menu      to the second static menu.

                      (This will give you a perfect transition, with no "jumping" caused by interlacing artefacts and will be seriously smooth to the point where the viewer will not even see thechanges from one menu to the motion menu & to the final static menu)

                      • 8. Re: multiple assets import into motion menus.
                        Andrey V Community Member

                        Thanks.

                        I have done all of that and even more complicated menus I have built with transitions and loop points using after effect, and in CS4 it is possible to use a Premiere pro sequence via Dynamic Link, wich will give you huge capability of using hole time line, But that was not the point, cause Ulead DVD Wokshop is capable of grinning multiple avi with imbedded alpha channel and they could be used as a elements on the menu. Say I have menu created and I decided to add a rotating rings or sparks to the menu I would import file as asset and drop it on the menu and it will be there as an element. Also UDVDW has a dissolve transition between menu I say it again a DISSOLVE transition between menus.It does not require creation of a last frames of the menus and adding a transition between.  Take a look at video tour